This book is Grandmaster Aron Nimzowitsch's companion volume to MY SYSTEM. This classic is one of the best selling and most instructive chess books of all time. Thousands of satisfied customers have used this book to improve their understanding of positional chess play.

It is now seventy years since Nimzowitsch wrote his monumental work My System. While it remains a fundamental work on chess strategy, the way chess positions are handled has changed greatly since Nimzowitsch's time - both refinements to existing ideas, and completely new concepts.

Dynamic Pawn Play in Chess How to Use Your Pawns to Fight for the Initiative and Central Control

Catalog Code: B0066GB

This book tackles fundamental questions such as: 'How should pawns be used to fight for the centre?' and 'How does the central pawn formation affect planning for both sides?' These issues are central to understanding chess. Marovic discusses central pawn-structures and their impact on play both in the centre and on the wings.

Checkmating the enemy king is the ultimate goal in chess. In this book Simon Williams helps readers to practice and improve their skills in this vital area of practical chess. A mating attack typically involves a build-up of forces, followed by an opening of lines, often involving a sacrifice

The Art of Attacking Chess 33 Inspiration and Instructive Masterpieces

Catalog Code: B0024GB

All chess-players love to play a smooth attacking game, flowing from start to finish, and sprinkled with spectacular ideas and sacrifices. However, few can do so regularly, and for most players, their collection of brilliancies missed far outweighs their creative successes. Innate talent plays an important role, but many of the skills needed for attacking chess can be learned by study and practice. Here, one of the world's most experienced annotators has selected 33 superb examples, and explained them in a way that strips away the mystery.

How to Crush Your Chess Opponents An Inspiring Guide for the Modern Attacker

Catalog Code: B0025GB

Simon Williams, one of Britain's most dynamic and aggressive chess-players, has selected his favourite attacking games from the modern era, and annotated them with an infectious zeal that will inspire and instruct. He takes us inside the decision-making process, explaining how each stage in an attacking concept is formed, and shows how top players spot the signs that indicate it is time to stake everything on an all-out assault. We also get insights into the role of intuition and calculation in both attack and defence

It is not always possible to win a game of chess by obtaining an advantage and then logically converting it into a win. In the games of average players the result is often in doubt until the last blunder and the more resourceful player will usually triumph.

The art of strategic planning is not easily acquired from most teaching materials, yet it is one of the most important aspects of practical play. In this book, positional factors have been approached, with examples showing how a certain specific weakness can be exploited by specific means. This book includes complete games where the strategic and positional factors are seen in the complex interplay of the middle game and end game.

This is a basic book that teaches strategic planning in chess. Written by a former Chess Champion of the world, this book has as its basis an entirely novel idea which will help players over a real difficulty.

Samuel Reshevsky is the ideal person to write a book on positional play because that was exactly the way he played: positionally. Reshevsky preferred to crush his opponents slowly, like a python, rather than to win with a blaze of tactics.

The First volume of Ludek Pachman's great trilogy Complete Chess Strategy which first appeared in Czechoslovak and German. Planning the Pieces deals with the long term planning, handling and positioning of the individual chess pieces.

Book Description
Continuing his major work on strategy and tactics in modern chess, the internationalyl renowned Grandmaster, Ludek Pachman, now turns his attention to the play of the pawns and the achievement of control of the center squares.
Though the pawns are the weakest pieces in chess, their importance in determining the character of the attack (and defense) and the development of strategic play cannot be underestimated. Pawns are essential to the protection of important squares and pieces. They are the best means of blockading enemy pawns and when correctly deployed, their advance can open vital files and diagonals, thereby creating weaknesses in the opposite position. Despite its limited power, the pawn has one special advantage over other pieces in that it can be promoted when it reaches the eighth rank; a successful pawn advance can completely change the balance of power and the outcome of a game. Pawns have aptly been described as "the soul of chess."
Vital of chess mastery is a basic understanding of the importance of control of the center squares. The effectiveness of the pieces depend upon the strength of their position and center control creates a vital sapatial superiority.
The effective play of the pawns and center control have been touched upon on other works, but seldom with the insight and lucidity revealed in this second volume of Pachman's masterwork.

In each of these books the need for understanding is emphasized: there are too many variations for any memory to store. The player must understand the basic principles involved and the typical positions or maneuvers that can arise.

Most players prefer to attack, resulting in defensive technique being the weakest part of their game. There are a number of methods of playing against an attacker, which include passive defense, simplification, blockade, stalemate, or a trap. Alternatively a player can defend actively or launch a counterattack.

In this book, the great Dutch World Champion, Dr. Max Euwe, discusses both strategy and tactics in chess, having special emphasis on the latter, to which about two-thirds of the book is dedicated. Tactics have been, comparatively speaking, neglected in chess literature, and it is therefore, interesting to find that five out of eight chapters of this book are devoted to combinations which are analyzed and classified.

The f4 Sicilian has become popular and feared because it avoids the frightening amount of knowledge required to play Open Sicilians. It is often not treated with the respect it deserves. The strategic aims are quite simple to understand: CHECKMATE. The first edition was written when the Grand Prix Attack was just becoming noticed by strong chess players. Now there are over 20,000 examples in the databases. Nevertheless, the opening remains based more on the ideas explained by authors Hodgson and Day than on “theory”.

Why Sam Sloan and Ishi Press are redoing this book and in descriptive notation when the original abridged version is still available from Dover books for nearly half the price is a mystery and a shame. All the books that Ishi Press is "re-issuing" they are not updating the notation to any form of algebraic.

By Joel Johnson
Aug 23, 2012
What people are saying about this book:
===================================== Life Master Brian Wall (USCF: 2213) - 2 time Colorado State Champion =====================================
I think I've died and gone to heaven. Joel has a Fishing Pole chapter where I beat GM/s/IMs. also featuring games from many friends like Ted Doykos, Kevin Seidler, GB Salvio ( A Brazilian who plays Fishing Pole blitz and postal games ), Jack Young, Craig Thomson ( Goyathlay ) and many others. It also warms my heart when I see games from Ireland or my games in non-Fishing Pole chapters. Of course plenty of GM games plus plenty of original attacking theories straight from Joel Johnson's laboratory. As usual the games are arranged by themes with plenty of explanations and examples. This time it's even better because we get fan mail from the first book, Formation Attacks, from around the globe. This book is the easiest to sell I've ever handled. It's terrific to see Joel succeed with another instant classic.
Brian Wall
===================================== Randall Hoch (USCF: 1891) Texas =====================================
I am finding it as enjoyable as your first one. The games you have chosen are not only instructive, but also very entertaining. Your books have given me appreciation and motivation to play attacking chess from move 1. ... So I have to credit you with showing me the way! Best regards, Randy
===================================== Michael Stewart (USCF: 2267) Mississippi ===================================== I got your new book,outstanding work!!! Better than the first if that's possible. Both books are attacking classics,and should be on every chess players shelf.